More Than A Rebound
by angel.at.midnight
Summary: Who would have thought that someone like Sasuke would ever do so much for someone like Sakura? AU, non-massacre.
1. Chapter 1

More Than A Rebound

by angel. at. midnight

Who would have thought that someone like Sasuke would ever do so much for someone like Sakura? AU, non-massacre.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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It's dead week, I should be studying for finals, and I write this instead. Hope you like it, and feedback would be greatly appreciated.

The Uchiha Corporation was arguably the most successful company in Japan. Worldwide, it was spoken of with utmost respect, and perhaps a little envy. Though its services and products, ranging from real estate to state-of-the-art weaponry, had all spread successfully throughout the global economy, the company's affairs were entirely managed by the Uchiha family.

Uchiha Fugaku was one of the most capable men to have headed the family through its long history. He personally oversaw the elite police force and had in fact worked his way up as a youth, refusing to be promoted without proving his skill. It was a well-known fact that no one who did business with Fugaku could get away with even attempting to give him an unfavorable deal. The man was more perceptive than his sharp eyes already suggested, and even other Uchiha would not dream of double-crossing the head of their family.

Fugaku's wife, Mikoto, was as intelligent as she was beautiful and could be trusted to manage and occasionally model for the line of magazines that the family published in five languages. In addition to her quick mind, she possessed a gentle, compassionate disposition that explained why her children and even her stern husband adored her. Every social function she organized was elegant without being stiflingly formal, and no one she met could feel uncomfortable in her presence.

The heir to the family business, Itachi was every bit as dangerously keen as his father, though a fraction less intimidating. He had been a prodigy since infanthood and had always taken the pressure from his family and society as a whole remarkably well. During his teenage years it had been feared that he had snapped from everything that was expected of him, but it turned out that Itachi had joined Tokyo's deadliest gang only to persuade his new friends to help him run what was now the most exclusive nightclub in the country. The incident resulted in waves of compliments and predictions of how much more the company could prosper once in Itachi's hands.

If the second son was any less talented than his virtually perfect brother, Sasuke made up for the difference by constantly working towards his lifelong goal of surpassing Itachi's achievements. Sasuke refused to be judged by his age and had developed a bit of a defensive streak, though no one could claim that he had ever let any patronizing comments affect him except to strengthen his desire to prove that he was at least as good as the man he had always looked up to. His pride would not let him back down from any challenge or defy any command from his family, which was why the 22-year-old was currently a bartender at Itachi's club even though he had already obtained his degree in business with flawless grades throughout graduate school.

-春-

Sasuke was convinced that Itachi had coerced him into working at Akatsuki to simultaneously torture him and make a ridiculous profit. It was understandable that Itachi would feel it inappropriate to rely on his own looks to attract customers now that he was betrothed, but he had never spent much time at the club anyways so that argument was null and void. He most likely just wanted to frustrate his introverted little brother, who Itachi knew had always secretly idolized him too much to say no to his sometimes bizarre requests. Sasuke told himself that he had agreed to work for his brother only to show the world that even though everyone had always said he looked like his mother, his androgynous looks could draw in more people than Itachi's more strongly defined features had.

On this particular night Sasuke had stepped out the back door for a short break while Kiba and Shikamaru took over his shift. (Sasuke had his own posse from his high school days that had since integrated with Akatsuki, and it felt nice to be able to tell someone else what to do every once in a while.) He leaned against the door and took in a breath of cool, odorless air, relaxing in the welcome reprieve from the noise and flashing lights inside. Though there were no lights on this side of the building, the half-moon provided enough illumination for him to see the white cloud that formed when he let out a sigh. He could see a similar white puff that seemed to come from an irregularly shaped dark mass on the other side of what he had assumed was an empty alley.

Itachi would not be pleased if there were drifters hanging around even the back of his precious club, and while Sasuke pretended he could not care less about his brother's happiness, he did not want to be the one to suffer the consequences. So he walked over to the trespasser, debating whether to ask politely or just drag the person away. He decided that it wouldn't hurt to be nice, and he could always rely on force if he was faced with resistance. Being Sasuke though, the extent of his kindness manifested itself as "Hn. Move. Find some other street to sleep on."

The figure at his feet growled and snapped, "You jerk, just leave me alone" in an unexpectedly feminine voice. In his head, Sasuke could hear his mother reminding him to always be a gentleman and never hurt girls, so he obediently tried to amend for his harsh attitude.

"Get inside. It's cold out here."

"I told you to leave me alone!"

Sasuke was starting to get annoyed with the girl's insistence at refusing his help, but he remembered being told by Itachi that (his) irritability was likely caused by bottled-up emotions. He thought about how he could get her to say what was troubling her.

"What's your problem?"

The girl scoffed incredulously and shrieked, "What's my problem? You want to know what my problem is? Fine. I'll tell you. A stupid rich guy whose cousin I was tutoring takes me out on my birthday, has lunch or dinner with me almost every day for the past month until I can't help but start assuming that we're dating or something, then tells me to meet him for dinner tonight and guess what? He brings another girl with him, introduces her as his _fiancée_,and then that good-for-nothing Hyuga 'cordially invites' me to the wedding! What kind of messed-up guy spends an entire month with a girl before introducing her to the person he's engaged to like it's nothing?"

Sasuke had been ready to tune her out, not really interested in whatever drama was in her life, until he caught the name she had vehemently spat out. He knew exactly who she was talking about and was not really surprised. "Apparently Hyuga does. That guy's more socially incompetent than anyone I know."

"I know, right? Wait, you know Neji?"

It was Sasuke's turn to scoff. "He's a Hyuga. I'm an Uchiha. We've hated each other since the first time we met as kids." The Hyuga family enterprise could be considered the reason why Uchiha Co. did not completely dominate the Japanese market.

The girl looked at him with confusion. "You're an Uchiha? What are you doing in a place like this?" She gestured to the deserted backstreet, seemingly unaware of where she was.

Sasuke stared back with a blank face. "This is the back entrance to Akatsuki. Itachi—my brother owns the whole block. I'm working as a bartender here." For the first time he noticed that she was wearing what looked like a rather thin sleeveless dress that couldn't be doing much to keep her warm, and her feet were bare since her strappy heels were lying at her side. The girl had probably run away from the new five star restaurant in the neighborhood and somehow ended up here. Acting out of some source of compassion he had not known he possessed, Sasuke extended his help once more.

"You really should come inside. You look like you'll freeze out here, and you can stay in the locker room if you don't want to be bothered by anyone."

To Sasuke's relief, the girl finally agreed. "Thanks, it is a little cold sitting here. By the way, my name's Haruno Sakura. What's yours?"

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, not accustomed to giving his name to people he randomly met on the street. He figured that the girl—Sakura—had already given him so much trouble it wouldn't make much of a difference to tell her his name. "Hn. Sasuke," he replied.

As he opened the door to the empty locker room and stepped aside to let her enter first, she turned to him and smiled for the first time that night. Her startlingly green eyes shone despite her smudged makeup as she said, "Nice to meet you, Sasuke." In the bright room Sasuke could see that her bob-cut hair was a shade of pale pink that surprisingly looked natural, and she had fair skin that contrasted with her simple black dress. Sasuke opened his large locker and rummaged around for a few seconds before pulling out his jacket and tossing it to Sakura. It was too loose on her thin frame, but it would be enough to warm her up. He managed to find an extra pair of clean socks and handed that to her too.

"Stay here. I'll get you tea and some food." Sakura nodded compliantly and sat down on the cushioned bench with her legs tucked under her to wait.

Sasuke sighed as he walked back to the bar. Kiba and Shikamaru wouldn't like filling in for him especially since it was getting busier as the night wore on, but they both owed him far more than a couple hours of making drinks and he didn't have a problem with threatening to ban them from the club. He vaguely told them that something had come up and he had to leave early, then walked to the kitchen while ignoring their complaints. He snatched a plate of miniature sandwiches and quickly made a cup of hot tea before returning to the locker room.

Sakura had lain down on the bench with her face hidden in her arms, but Sasuke could tell that she was not sleeping because she shifted when he closed the door. He set the food down within her arm's reach and turned to the task of changing out of his stiff outfit. He had no idea why Itachi insisted on a bow tie as part of the uniform, but he took great satisfaction in ripping off the useless accessory that always made breathing difficult. Then he exchanged his vest and collared shirt for a no less expensive but infinitely more comfortable plain tee-shirt. He considered changing out of his black slacks and into his jeans, but he didn't really want to do so with a girl he barely knew in the room. Sure enough, when he looked over his shoulder he saw half-opened green eyes staring at him.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Sakura flushed slightly when she realized she had been caught watching him, but she determinedly kept eye contact. Sasuke drawled, "Looking for a rebound already?"

At this, Sakura sat up indignantly, but decided to play her part. "Are you volunteering?" She raised an eyebrow in return.

Sasuke smirked, amused at her quick response. "Only for you."

"How sweet of you. I just might take you up on that," Sakura shot back easily. Then she seemed to fall back into a somber state. "I don't do rebounds. Using another person just to get rid of your own pain always seemed so selfish to me."

"Aren't you a saint," Sasuke muttered.

Sakura glared. "Besides, it's not like I was actually in a relationship with that guy. It's not so much that I'm crushed by getting dumped as I feel like my pride's been thrown out the window. So there's no reason for me to want a rebound." She picked up the tea and took a small bite out of a sandwich. It wasn't chocolate, but then again, she told herself that she wasn't moping.

Sasuke could relate to her sentiments all too well, being the younger of two sons and thus chronically demeaned. Perhaps that was why he offered to drive her home, but Sakura frowned darkly and said that she had been housed at the Hyuga estate while she tutored Hanabi since she was only in Tokyo to complete her residency at the university hospital. Her contract with the Hyuga had ended a couple weeks ago and she had been looking around for another place to stay, but only half-heartedly because Neji had continued to keep in contact with her. After today's events, however, she would undoubtedly have to move out.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to do. There was no way he was bringing her to his home; it would inevitably result in a catastrophic scandal seeing how the only female other than his mother who had ever stayed over was Itachi's fiancée after the engagement had been settled. Leaving Sakura at one of his friends' houses would be equally foolish; the males would probably scare her off by hitting on her, and Sasuke would not let himself be indebted to Ino or Karin under any circumstances. Now that he thought about it, the university was fairly close to Sasuke's neighborhood and halfway across the city from the Hyuga complex, and there were those new apartments just a few streets over…

This was turning out to be very complicated, and all because he had been compelled to be nice to the girl now sitting in his car. "Hn. I can't let you stay at my place, but there are some apartments close to the university. They're new and the area is safe, so you should be fine there."

Sakura wished he would for once just ask her instead of order her around, even if only to seem polite, but she supposed that with all he was doing for her, she shouldn't complain. "How much is the rent?"

"How long is your internship?"

Sakura couldn't see what that had to do with anything, but she answered, "I have another year left. Until next April."

Sasuke mentally calculated the numbers. Twelve months…that would be at least two million yen, maybe even three million. To put it in Shikamaru's words, this was troublesome, but he supposed he didn't really need another motorcycle at the moment. "Pay me back when you're a doctor without any loans to worry about." From the corner of his eye he saw Sakura gape at him.

"Wha—I—are you out of your mind?"

Sasuke scowled. "I am perfectly sane. Take my help or leave it."

Sakura fidgeted in her seat. The cost of an apartment around here was nearly equal to her salary, and she had to worry about food and other necessities too. She hated the idea of being in debt to a complete stranger, but there wasn't anyone she knew well enough in this unfamiliar metropolis to ask for help. There was no way around it; she would have to rely on Sasuke's generosity for the time being. "Fine. Thank you."

"Hn. I'll drive you to Hyuga's place tomorrow so you can get your things."

"Okay," Sakura mumbled sleepily. It had been a stressful day, and the jacket she was wearing smelled nice and was so soft…

Sakura was fast asleep by the time the car stopped in front of a quiet, peaceful looking apartment block. Sasuke took a thick envelope of bills from under his seat and found a hat in the trunk before heading into the office to arrange a room for Sakura. It was possible he could have gotten a better deal by allowing the landowner to recognize him, but the risk of rumors coming out of it was too high. He avoided leaving his real name behind by paying the full year's rent in cash, then quickly left with the keys.

Since Sakura was still sleeping soundly, Sasuke saw no other option than to carry her inside. Luckily she was as light as she looked, and even going up the stairs with her in his arms was not a problem. Sasuke fumbled with the lock for a moment, then opened the door to the spacious one-bedroom flat he had paid for. He stepped out of his shoes and dropped Sakura's heels next to the door before walking farther in. It was fully furnished, with even a futon set up in the bedroom. Sasuke set Sakura down and pulled the covers up to her chin. He pulled her cell phone out of her handbag to get her number, then set the bag on the nightstand with one of the two keys to the room. He slipped the other key into his pocket in case she ended up misplacing her copy.

He stood up to leave, but before he had taken a step her hand grasped the hem of his slacks with surprising strength and she murmured, "Stay here."

Sasuke wasn't sure whether she was sleep talking or actually half conscious, but he replied, "I'll be back in the morning."

Sakura's grip tightened, and she whispered, "Don't leave me alone. Please stay."

At this rate, Sasuke wouldn't be able to move unless he woke her up. It was getting late, so he might as well stay for the night. There wasn't anything terribly important he had to do the next day, and he had spent enough nights away from his own house that his mother didn't call frantically anymore. "Fine, I'm staying. Go to sleep." Sakura immediately eased up and Sasuke carefully stepped across the room. He sat down with his back against the door, waiting for the sun to rise and wondering why he was going to such lengths for this pink-haired girl.

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This is the first time I'm posting a multichapter, and I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with this fic. I don't want it to be just another Sasuke randomly runs into Sakura, they fall for each other, and they end up together story, but I really don't have anything planned out. I'm just going with what pops into my head (and as of now, there is very little in here), so if you have any reasonable suggestions, I will definitely consider them. Please let me know if there are too many unnecessary details, if the writing isn't clear enough or doesn't flow well, if Sasuke seems too OOC, or if you find something you think I should improve on. I would really appreciate any comments you have, and I hope you can enjoy reading this story as it oh-so-slowly unfolds.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Taking this story one step at a time appears to be working. I still don't know what's going to happen later, but we're all one chapter closer to finding out. Anyways, enjoy!

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Sakura woke up feeling unusually serene. Her blankets were warm and comfy, she could spot a sliver of blue sky between the blinds, and there was a very pretty boy sleeping on the other side of the roo—_wait_. Why was there a stranger in her room? This wasn't even her room, she realized, so where was she and what had happened to her?

Sakura quietly got up and looked for something she could use to defend herself. She grabbed the wooden chair next to the desk and held it in front of her as she cautiously edged forward to nudge the man's arm with her socked foot. He grunted but did not seem to be waking up. Sakura frowned and tried using her voice.

"Hey. _Hey_. Wake up already. And get out of my room while you're at it."

The man cracked open one eye. "Annoying. I _paid_ for this place, so don't think you can try to kick me out. I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't forced me to stay last night. Now let me sleep."

Sakura didn't really understand what was going on, but she did know one thing. "You're in front of the door and I have to pee! Can you move? Please?"

The man sighed and grabbed the doorknob to pull himself up. "So annoying," he growled as he fought off a yawn. "Put that chair down." The moment Sakura did so, he dropped into it and pulled out his cell phone, ignoring her existence. She had no idea who this rude person was, but she could deal with him after she took care of more urgent matters.

Once Sakura had cleaned herself up, though she still felt grimy since she didn't want to shower without a clean set of clothes to change into, her mind was able to function normally and she pieced together what she had seen of her surroundings and what the man had told her. Her dress and makeup reminded her of the fiasco with Neji that had led to her running away and getting lost, then she had been found by…Sasuke, wasn't it, who had apparently decided to buy her an apartment, which she assumed was the one she was standing in. There were still some gaps in her memory, but she now at least had an idea of why she was here.

As soon as she stepped back into the bedroom, Sasuke, who did not look at all like he had just woken up after sleeping on the floor all night, stood up and declared, "We're going to Hyuga's."

Sakura didn't follow him when he walked towards the door, nor did he turn to look at her when she said, "Look, let's get things straight. Just because you're paying for my housing now doesn't mean I'm going to let you control my every action. It might take me some time, but I'll pay you back every cent. Don't think for a second that because you're an Uchiha I'm going to let you do whatever you want to my life and agree to go with everything that you ask—no, _demand_ of me."

A few seconds of tense silence passed, then Sasuke, still with his back to her, casually said, "Whenever you're ready to go, I'll be waiting in the car," and walked out of the room. Sakura glared defiantly at his retreating back, fully intended to make him wait at least an hour, but quickly realized that she did not know her way around the apartment building and she hadn't even taken note of his car last night. Shouting curses at Sasuke, Sakura grabbed her bag, picked up her heels, slammed the door, and ran down the hall barefoot until she caught up with Sasuke at the top of the stairs. She was slightly panting as she made a face at him and growled, "You're even more of a jerk than Neji is."

Sasuke only seemed amused at her admittedly immature behavior. "Of course I am. That's why I paid your rent and offered to drive you all the way to his place to pick up your things."

Sakura wanted to throw her stilettos at the back of his arrogant head, but she forced herself to calm down by counting the steps—32 in all. When they reached Sasuke's car, Sakura turned to him and grudgingly but sincerely said, "Thank you. For—well, everything you've done in the past twelve hours or so." Sasuke only looked at her blankly and replied with an unintelligible "Hn" before opening his door and getting into the driver's seat. Sakura's scowl returned and she snapped, "I still think you're rude though." As if he wanted to encourage that image of himself, Sasuke took off at a speed double what was allowed in a parking lot a split second after Sakura's seat belt clicked.

The drive was mostly silent, since Sakura gathered that while Sasuke was not quite as uptight as Neji, he didn't particularly enjoy talking at length unless it was to make some witty, sarcastic comment at her expense. The streets weren't too congested since it was late morning and they were heading away from the center of Tokyo, but it still took the better part of an hour to reach the suburban area where Sakura had been staying.

Sasuke stopped on the street directly behind the Hyuga estate, since going in from the front would have required some official business with a member of the family and Sakura wanted to avoid being seen if possible. Sakura pulled the hood of Sasuke's jacket over her hair and adjusted his socks, which were far too large on her feet but still more comfortable than her shoes, then stepped towards the ivy-covered wall. She found a foothold between two large stones and began to climb up nimbly like she used to do when she came back from a morning jog. It was more difficult in a dress, but Sasuke kept his head turned away from her until she reached the top and called to him—the most polite thing he had done since she met him. Five seconds later he landed neatly next to her and waited for Sakura to lead the way. As foolish as it was, she couldn't help feeling a bit smug at knowing her way around better than he did.

They made it to the window of her first floor suite without incident, but once Sakura looked inside she had to use every ounce of her will to convince herself not to tear out each strand of Neji's perfect hair the next time she saw him. "I can't believe him!" she fumed. "He had all of my things taken away and probably sold or donated." Sakura punched the bulletproof glass savagely, not even feeling the pain in her anger. Neji wasn't one to waste his resources, and he had tried to sell her old textbooks before. Speaking of which…"I'm glad I had my textbooks at the hospital; I wouldn't know what to do without them. I only have a couple sets of clothes there though."

Sakura sighed and sank to the ground miserably, worn out now that the brief adrenaline rush that had accompanied her rage was gone. She picked at the grass and only half-consciously watched Sasuke, who had wisely stepped away from her during her tantrum, pull out his phone and hesitate for a moment before calling someone. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but for the whole 47 seconds of his conversation he looked as if he regretted what he was doing and wanted to hang up as soon as possible. When he turned back to Sakura, he still seemed uncomfortable and sounded resigned as he said, "Come on, we're going to go meet someone and get you whatever you need."

During the drive back into the heart of Tokyo, both of them stayed quiet and kept to their own thoughts. As Sasuke pulled into the underground garage of a tall building, his grip on the steering wheel was so tight that it left clear indentations on the leather when he finally let go. Sasuke looked more sullen than ever and there was an unfamiliar edginess to him that kept Sakura from asking him any questions while they took an elevator to one of the top floors. Stepping into the corridor, she noted that everything looked elegant and expensive, but in an inviting way very unlike the austere décor in the Hyuga mansion.

Sasuke stopped at the last door and knocked once. His hands were clenched into tight fists and he stood so still that he looked like a wax statue. He didn't even flinch when the door flung open to reveal a beaming blonde, though at her delighted cry of "Sasuke-kun!" he quickly sidestepped to avoid her embrace. From his position of relative safety, he started to say "Yamanaka, this is—"

"Sakura?" The blonde was now completely focused on the other girl, blue eyes wide with shock. Sakura blinked, just as stunned. "I—Ino-chan?" She was immediately caught in a bone-crushing hug.

"Sakura! It _is_ you! Oh, I can't even remember the last time I saw you, it's been so long!"

"Almost ten years," Sakura replied, still not believing that she was standing in front of her childhood friend again. "You look so different—I mean a _good_ kind of different," she stammered, awed as always by her best friend's aura of beauty and confidence. Ino laughed the same bright laugh that Sakura remembered and teased, "You don't look different at all. You're still skinny as a stick!"

Sakura knew she would probably end up being sorry for her next words, but she smirked. "You're one to talk, Ino-_pig_." Ino's eyes flashed dangerously, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she retorted, "Oh, you're going down, forehead girl." They both burst into laughter, knowing that nothing had changed between them even after so many years of separation.

"Ah, I'm being rude. Come in and make yourselves comfortable!" Sakura slipped off her dirty socks and stepped in, followed by a wary Sasuke. Ino's vast apartment was decorated much as the hall was: classy, but still warm and welcoming, just like Ino herself.

"Are you guys hungry? If you don't mind waiting a bit, I was just about to make lunch." Sakura realized that except for the tiny sandwich she had hardly touched last night, she hadn't eaten in nearly a full day. She smiled gratefully at Ino. "That would be great, but before that, do you have something I can change into? I've been wearing this since last night and I haven't gotten a chance to shower yet."

"Oh sure! Go ahead and find whatever you like in my closet; there's a bathroom connected to my room." Sakura headed in the direction that Ino waved to, eager to get rid of the dirt that caked her skin. She heard Sasuke let out a cautious "Hn" and Ino ask, "What have you two been up to? There's another bathroom there, and you should be able to fit in some of Shika's stuff." Sakura closed the door of Ino's room, surprised to find that her cheeks were warm for no reason at all.

Ino had a Western-style shower instead of a separate bathtub to soak in, but Sakura would take whatever she could get. She turned the hot water on full blast, took off Sasuke's jacket and hung it on the bathroom door, and quickly peeled off her own clothes before all but leaping under the pounding jet of steaming water. Sakura could feel all the tension seeping out of her body, and she stood for several minutes just relaxing in the warmth. She finally forced herself to move and started on the task of vigorously scrubbing her skin and hair.

When she was done, Sakura dried herself off with one of Ino's oversized towels and not for the first time was glad she had short hair. Looking in the mirror, she saw that her hair resembled Sasuke's messy spikes after she had rubbed it with the towel. Sakura smoothed out her hair absently while she walked over to Ino's labyrinth of a closet. Even though they were nearly the same height, she wasn't sure if she could fit in any of her friend's clothes: like Ino had pointed out, Sakura looked much like she did at twelve years old, whereas Ino's perfectly proportioned body made her look like a model. Sakura smiled when she found leggings and a long loose shirt, but Ino's underclothes would never fit her so she settled for wearing her old things again. She swiped on some of the lip gloss she always kept in her bag, decided to forego any other makeup, then grabbed her dress and Sasuke's jacket and returned to the main room feeling fresh and clean.

Ino looked up from filling three bowls with rice and smiled, "Just in time! Hope you're okay with curry." Sakura nodded in response and helped carry the bowls to the table where Sasuke sat, looking less glum now that he was wearing jeans and a clean black shirt. Sakura muttered a "Thanks" as she handed his jacket back to him, and he replied with his customary "Hn." She vaguely noted that his hair remained spiky even when it was damp, but before she could ask if he gelled it Ino sat down and sang, "Itadakimasu!" Sakura and Sasuke followed suit, and all three dug into their warm meal.

Halfway through lunch, Ino started the conversation that Sakura had known was coming. "So, wanna tell me why you came here today? I doubt you knew Sakura and I were friends, Sasuke, and you usually make a point not to visit me." She pouted in fake hurt, then turned to Sakura with an expectant smile.

Sakura knew by now that Sasuke would ignore the question, so she decided to fill Ino in on the past nine years of her life while she was talking. She explained that shortly after Ino had moved away from their small town, Sakura's mother had become seriously ill, but there wasn't nearly enough money between the two of them for proper treatment. Sakura had an older cousin who was a doctor, so she contacted her and was referred to her mentor, who cured Sakura's mother in exchange for Sakura becoming her new apprentice. Tsunade-sensei managed to get the 13-year-old Sakura into a six year university/med school program, then personally oversaw the first two years of Sakura's four year residency. Halfway through the third year, it was decided that Sakura needed a change of scenery and she was transferred to Tokyo just after the holidays. The day she arrived she befriended a patient about her own age, and the girl told Sakura she would be able to stay at her house if she tutored her younger sister until the end of the school year. Sakura agreed, and when her tutoring arrangement ended she wasn't immediately kicked out, so she took her time finding a new place to stay. Then yesterday happened, and Sakura was found by Sasuke whom she was now indebted to since he had bought an apartment for her. Upon finding all her things gone from her former place of residence this morning, Sasuke drove her here, and happy as she was to see Ino, Sakura honestly had no idea why they had come.

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak for the first time since he had entered Ino's apartment. "Shopping."

When Ino's eyes lit up even more than normal, everything clicked into place in Sakura's mind. Ino _loved_ to shop, and she loved it even more when she was doing it with someone else. Apparently Sasuke knew this, so he figured that Ino would know what Sakura needed to get and where the best prices were. He was right, since Ino immediately launched into a speech of what the latest fashion trends were and how Sakura should decorate her apartment and which hair products were the best to use in spring. Sakura had scarcely swallowed her last bite of curry rice when Ino grabbed her and Sasuke by the arm and said, "Let's go already!" Sakura insisted on washing the dishes first, and in the time that it took her to do that Ino managed to change into a different outfit, do her makeup, and find shoes for Sakura that were easier to walk in.

All the way to Sasuke's car, Ino was positively bouncing with excitement. She stopped talking just long enough for Sakura to ask what had been going on in her life since they last met, and Ino was off again, filling the car with her bubbly voice as she recounted her sometimes difficult career as a model in high school, her realization that a college degree would provide her with a more stable future, her current job as a columnist for a fashion magazine, and her aspiration to become chief editor in the near future.

For the whole afternoon, Ino pulled Sakura from boutiques to department stores and back again while Sasuke was generally ignored until it came time to load the purchases into his car. When the trunk and half of the back row were filled to near bursting, Sakura was ready to leave, having spent nearly all of her last month's wages, but Ino screeched "Wait!" as they passed a small store selling all kinds of dresses. "I'm going to throw you a party!" she declared, and Sakura was soon bombarded by a dozen brightly colored dresses and shoved into a changing room. She tossed half of the garish, tissue-paper-thin pieces of cloth back over the door without a second glance and tried on the least revealing of the ones she had left. Sakura frowned at her reflection but opened the door to let Ino have a look.

Ino scrunched her nose thoughtfully as she turned Sakura around. "Do you think Sasuke will like it?" she asked nonchalantly.

Sakura froze, her face as blank as stone. "What."

Ino grinned, all pretense of innocence wiped away. "Oh, come on. If I was in your situation, he would probably laugh at my misfortune, not bother with finding me someplace to live and actually buying an apartment for me with his own money. He probably wouldn't even do that for his best friend. He _likes_ you, Sakura," Ino stated definitively.

"Ino. I wore a dress around him for half a day. He didn't take one look at my legs. He does _not_ like me. Besides, he's about the rudest person I've ever met."

Ino waved a hand dismissively. "You don't know him like I do, Sakura. He doesn't constantly glare at you as if he's trying to make you spontaneously explode, which he does even to people just walking past him minding their own business. And he's an Uchiha; he's both too well-mannered to flat-out stare at a girl like that and too full of himself to treat the rest of us as his equals. But putting that aside, isn't he the most gorgeous guy you've ever seen?"

Sakura closed her stall door in Ino's face and started to take off the dress that hadn't even been commented on. "I really do not have the time for this kind of thing, what with work and studying and all that. And I've been far too busy the past few years to bother looking at pretty boys, so it's really not fair to ask me to judge."

"You're avoiding the question, Sa-ku-raaa," Ino said in her sweetest voice.

Sakura glowered at the mirror, insisting in her mind that the color in her cheeks was not due to the question she was supposedly ignoring but rather Ino's irritating persistence. She decided go along with Ino's whim, knowing that her friend wouldn't let her off the hook until she gave the right answer. "Yes, he is very attractive, but I say that in a completely objective—" Another scrap of fabric flew over the door and landed on Sakura's head.

"You're wearing that to the party tomorrow night. No arguments."

"Tomorrow?" Sakura barely heard Ino explain that everyone would be free on Saturday night so it was the perfect time for her to meet people. The dress she held was a silvery green that gave off a quiet sheen as she turned it in the light. When she pulled it on, it covered everything that she didn't want to be exposed, but the loosely ruffled hem gave the outfit a slightly playful air. It was exactly Sakura's style: not too showy, but still unique. This time when Sakura posed for Ino, she immediately received a nod of approval.

Sakura changed back into her borrowed clothes. As she got ready to pay, she looked at the price tag and made a face. Well, there went the last of her paycheck. However, Ino pulled out her wallet before Sakura could, cheerfully telling her to consider the dress a late birthday present. All the way back to her apartment, Sakura found herself fingering the soft material, and when she was finally alone in her apartment full of bags, she couldn't help wondering if Sasuke would like the dress.

* * *

Longest thing I've written in a long time. As filler-ish as this chapter might have been, I rather liked it, and I hope you do too. Next chapter, I'm planning on introducing the gang. That'll be lots of fun, if I ever get there. Sorry for leaving out Sasuke for half the chapter, and I hope the ending isn't too abrupt. Again, suggestions are more than welcome, and corrections are appreciated too. Just for clarification, Sasuke met Sakura on a Thursday night before a holiday, which is why she doesn't have to work in this chapter. If there's anything else that's unclear, go ahead and ask away!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I am really very sorry that this chapter took so long. I don't have any excuses…but at least I got it out in time for Sasu-chan's birthday? And please pray for Japan.

* * *

Sasuke was going to _hate_ her, Ino thought a little sadistically. It was eight o'clock sharp on Saturday morning, and she would bet anything that if given his way he would be asleep until almost noon. But she had a lot to do today, and she could not waste a precious hour or two to let him sleep in. She pressed the call button on her phone and counted the rings until he answered in an extremely annoyed rasp.

"Hey Sasuke," she replied in a bright voice that was sure to irritate him even more. "Can you come and pick me up? I need a ride to Sakura's place."

"Get someone else to drive you," he growled. "I'm going back to sleep."

Before he could hang up, Ino whined, "But Sasuke-kun, you're the only one who knows where she lives."

He sighed, probably wondering why he had even picked up the phone. "It takes half an hour to get to your apartment, and another thirty minutes to get back to hers. That's an hour of time I'll be wasting."

"Well, you'd better leave soon then. The longer you wait, the more congested the roads are going to be. And you wouldn't be doing anything productive by sleeping all morning either," she pointed out.

"Whatever, Yamanaka," Sasuke huffed before ending the call. Ino's lips tilted in a self-satisfied grin, and she made her way down to the lobby to wait. Knowing Sasuke's disregard for speed limits, he would most likely arrive early. Normally Ino didn't have a problem making boys wait for her, but she figured she was torturing Sasuke enough by waking him up so she seated herself beside a large window and spent the next twenty-some minutes going over her to-do list.

When she saw his sleek car pull up in front of the apartment complex, Ino smiled and rushed outside. However, her expression quickly turned to one of displeasure when Sasuke didn't even look her way or say hello.

"Really, Sasuke. Can't you at least _try _to act like a gentleman and open the door for me? No wonder Sakura complained about you after only knowing you for a few hours. You're even worse than Shika, that lazy bum." The only hint Sasuke gave that he was even aware of Ino's presence in the car was that he waited until she had buckled her seat belt before taking off down the street. The sudden acceleration didn't faze her though; she kept right on talking as she examined her reflection in the rearview mirror.

"So, I'm having a welcome party of sorts for Sakura so she can meet everyone. Are your parents going to be home tonight?" Ino's eyes were shining with hope and anticipation, but the effect was lost on Sasuke, who was looking directly in front of him at the empty road.

"You are not going to step foot in my house," he replied flatly. "And what makes you think I'll even consider wasting my time going to a party?"

Ino's gaze darkened angrily. "It's for Sakura!" she insisted. "She already knows me," Sasuke deadpanned. The blonde was practically seething as she barked, "You _will_ go to the party tonight, and do not give me any more excuses because I know you have nothing better to do. Unless you'd rather be standing behind a bar as opposed to being the one consuming the alcohol," she finished in a blasé tone.

Sasuke must have known that she was just baiting him, but his face still twisted into a scowl. He usually didn't work on Saturdays, but Shikamaru and Kiba were going to the party and they would gladly try to force Sasuke to fill in for them. Ino wanted to giggle when he finally let out an irritated "Hn" that she knew was his grudging agreement to attend.

"Well, now that we've gotten that settled," she stated smugly, "can we _please_ have it at your place? It's gorgeous, and it's perfect for a welcome party." Sasuke immediately shot back, "No. I will not allow my parents' house to get trashed. And don't even think about trying to convince my brother," he warned.

Ino had been expecting a negative response, but she was still irked that Sasuke was being such a stubborn jerk. Why hadn't she asked Itachi first? Well, there was a good chance that he would have said no too, but at least he would have done it politely.

"Fine," Ino sniffed. "We'll have it at Naruto's." She was mollified when she noticed Sasuke's permanent frown deepen until he looked like a sulking child. Apparently the fraternal rivalry those two had in high school was still on. But she wasn't about to spend the rest of the drive boosting Sasuke's already inflated ego. Now that she had the location decided on, the real work was just about to begin. She snapped open her phone and started sending texts to everyone whose help she would need to be ready by that night.

When they arrived at Sakura's building, Ino's fingers began flying even more quickly over the tiny buttons. Preparing for a party that would start in nine hours was no easy task, but she wasn't rude enough to stay glued to her phone when she had company. (Sasuke didn't count, since he didn't talk to her anyway.) She finally finished typing and beamed in victory as she dropped her phone into her purse before following Sasuke inside.

Ino raised an eyebrow as she took in the details of their surroundings. It was a very nice building with smooth stone walls and polished bamboo flooring even on the stairs. The simple but refined design emulated the traditional Japanese style quite well, though Ino personally preferred the more modern feel of her own highrise. Sakura's apartment was on the farthest end of the hallway on the top floor, and Ino couldn't help thinking how it was just like Sasuke to pick the most secluded unit in the building.

She was slightly taken by surprise when Sasuke fished a key out of his pocket and opened the door to quietly let them in. "You aren't staying here too, are you?" Ino asked. It wasn't that she didn't trust Sasuke, but she was still protective of her childhood friend who probably had no idea how to deal with men.

Sasuke scoffed indignantly. "No, but she seems like the type to lose things easily. I don't want to have to pay for replacement keys." That made sense seeing how it was Sasuke, but Ino still gave him a warning look for good measure.

She toed her shoes off and left Sasuke lounging at the door while she looked around. On the left was a decently sized kitchen which merged into a spacious living room adorned with a leather sofa, a flat-screen television, and the bags of purchases from yesterday's shopping trip. The back wall was composed of floor-to-ceiling panes of tinted glass that slid open to reveal a canopied balcony with a breathtaking view. Ino walked through the lone doorway on the right side of the common area to find a bathroom with a tub opposite a closed door that could only be Sakura's bedroom. It was unlocked, and Ino cautiously poked her head in to see her friend curled up on a futon in the corner. The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a wooden desk and chair next to the door and a closet that spanned the side wall. The curtains were shut so that the only light came from the hallway on Ino's side of the half-opened door, and she prepared to give her second wake-up call that morning.

Ino marched across the room to fling open the curtains and let sunlight shine directly on Sakura's face. "Wake up forehead, you've already slept through half of the morning and we have things to do." Sakura protested feebly, still in the clutches of blissful sleep, but Ino was having none of that. "If I have to dump cold water on you, I will," she threatened.

Sakura groaned as she pushed herself up. "Ino, I really don't know what you've come to persuade me to do with you, but could you let me get dressed first? I'm sure you wouldn't want me to stand beside you wearing an oversized t-shirt and basketball shorts."

"Oh, but of course, Sakura. And it's not so much that I couldn't stand your totally unfashionable appearance as I wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself in front of dear Sasuke who's waiting outside," Ino replied casually.

Sakura blinked a few times, but all she said was, "So that's how you got in here." Apparently she was not awake enough to register the insult or to feel embarrassed.

"Go wash up; I'll pick out some decent clothes for you," Ino sighed, waving Sakura to the bathroom. Most of the clothes were stored in the closet already, allowing Ino to quickly scan over them and select dark skinny jeans and an understated white shirt decorated with lace. She remembered making Sakura buy white flats yesterday, so she laid the outfit on the chair and headed to the living room to find the shoes.

When Ino went back to the bedroom after placing the flats next to Sasuke, who was dozing while standing up, she found that Sakura had changed and was struggling with her short hair. Ino gently pushed her into the chair and pulled a comb out of her handbag. "Why did you cut it?" she asked as she eased the tangles out. She barely caught Sakura's shrug.

"I used to be so obsessed with my appearance and trying to be popular—you know, typical pre-teen behavior. I guess when Kaa-chan got sick I realized that none of that mattered, and I cut it so I wouldn't take an hour every morning straightening it or curling it or whatever."

"That's smart," Ino nodded. "It takes two minutes to deal with your hair now. I'd try cutting mine too, only I'm immersed in the fashion industry and I wouldn't be able to experiment with new products as well. Speaking of new products, I just got some make-up that I want to try on you. And don't complain about it taking too long—I'm an expert and you'll be ready to go in less than three minutes." True to her word, in two minutes and forty seconds Sakura's eyes were lined with midnight blue, her eyelashes looked long and full, her cheeks were a delicate pink, and a clear gloss coated her lips.

Ino stepped back to admire her handiwork. "You look good, Sakura. Your forehead doesn't even look that big anymore." She ignored the glare and basked in the bashful thanks she received.

"So where are we going?" Sakura asked as she played with her phone. "Breakfast, sweetie. Or I guess it would be brunch now. Gotta start the day off with a healthy meal, right doctor?" Sakura replied with a wry smile and the girls headed towards the door.

Sakura stopped in surprise when she saw Sasuke, then she burst into muffled giggles. "Yesterday he was sleeping sitting against the door, and today he's sleeping while standing. Maybe tomorrow he'll be levitating."

Ino paid no attention to Sakura's crazy prediction, instead focusing on the first part. "He was sleeping here? You left that part out when you were telling the story yesterday."

Sakura flushed and sputtered, "It wasn't like that, Ino!"

"Wasn't like what?" the blonde asked innocently.

"Oh, Sasuke, you're awake! Can you take us to brunch? Please?"

Sasuke blinked away his confusion at waking up to see Sakura's face in front of his, then settled into his customary frown. "Hn," he grunted before turning around to open the door.

"Thank you!" Sakura chirped as she nearly skipped outside, and Ino snickered when she noticed Sasuke's smirk.

The ride to a nearby restaurant consisted of Ino and Sakura complaining about their respective jobs while Sasuke ignored them. He continued to pretend they didn't exist as they walked in, but he wisely stepped behind them for an extra layer of protection from the flirty waitress who shot Ino and Sakura death glares in between trying to catch Sasuke's attention.

Since it was the weekend, Ino decided to indulge in a small serving of tempura udon. She rolled her eyes when Sasuke ordered tomato onigiri and tried not to laugh at Sakura's expression of bewilderment. Sakura asked for a bento with umeboshi and grilled fish, which had been her favorite meal since their childhood.

The meal was eaten in relative silence, since Ino was racking her brains to make sure that everything was in order for that night and Sakura had learned that Sasuke was not a very good conversation partner. Things would most likely be rather awkward when Ino left in a few minutes, but there was just too much to do for her to spend the rest of the day just hanging out. She placed the correct amount of yen next to her plate and got up to hug Sakura.

"Sorry for skipping out early, but I'll see _both_ of you tonight," Ino emphasized as she narrowed her eyes at Sasuke. He was glaring at her in turn, as if saying, "You woke me up and made me drive you around just so you could have an early lunch? Don't expect me to answer the phone ever again." Ino just smiled and turned back to Sakura.

"You know what to wear, here's the make-up that goes with it-you'd better use it or I will not be happy-and Sasuke's going to pick you up at 5:45. Oh, and he'll also tell you about everyone who will be there so you aren't overwhelmed later," Ino stated with finality. It wasn't like Sasuke was helping with the preparations in any other way, so that would be his contribution. "Alright, have fun and don't be late!" Ino waved before leaving to find a taxi to Naruto's place, and the storm of texting started once more.

-夕-

Ino went over everything with a sharp eye one last time. Naruto's home, while not quite as grand as Sasuke's mansion, was spacious and bright. Decorations courtesy of Konan and Sai were tastefully arranged both inside and around the yard. Shino was checking the sound system and testing his turntables. There was plenty of food from Chouji's family restaurant, and every kind of alcohol imaginable from Akatsuki's storehouse was set in plain view behind the bar. Just about all the guests were already in the house; Hinata had said that she might be late, so all that was left was for Sakura and Sasuke to show up.

At the first stroke of six, Sasuke's car pulled in and double parked in the overcrowded, circular driveway. He stepped out, looking modelesque as always in an untucked navy blue shirt and black slacks, and turned to wait for Sakura. Ino couldn't help mentally congratulating herself for her perfect fashion sense. Sakura was like a fairy with her pink bob and floaty dress, but in silver heels she looked grown-up enough to be taken seriously. She was wearing as little make-up as she could get away with, but the mint green eyeshadow and shiny eyeliner made her eyes innocently wide. Everyone was going to love her.

"Start the music, Shino!" Ino shouted over her shoulder. "Let's get this party started." She smoothed her dress out and tossed her loose hair, ready to get into hostess mode.

Sasuke walked inside first, hands in his pockets, and headed straight for the alcohol to avoid Ino. Sakura came in a step behind him, eyes glowing with slightly nervous anticipation. The girl was apparently still shy in big groups, and Ino took it upon herself to get Sakura to loosen up.

"Alright forehead-girl, I assume that Sasuke described everyone for you, so let's see if that brain of yours is as intelligent as it is large." Ino looked around for someone to test Sakura's memory with.

"We'll start with the redhead there and the blond cutie next to her," Ino declared as she steered Sakura further inside.

"Kushina-san and Minato-san," Sakura immediately answered. "Naruto-san's _parents_," she stressed with a look at Ino. "Hey, just because he's as old as my dad doesn't mean he isn't some fine eye-candy," Ino shot back. The girls joined the couple who were fussing over Sasuke.

"Oh!" Kushina cried. "Is this your girlfriend, Sasuke-chan? She's so cute!" Ino bit her lip to stop herself from bursting into giggles. Sakura predictably blushed darker than her hair, but the interesting thing was that Sasuke had hidden his face behind his bangs. And was that a trick of the fading light, or was there really a tinge of pink on his cheeks? He cleared his throat and said, "This is Sakura. She's Ino's friend."

When Kushina teased, "You didn't answer the question, Sasuke-chan," Ino finally decided to rescue him.

"He wishes she was his girlfriend," she smirked. "Go and drink your sorrows away now, Sakura's too busy for you." She received a scathing look that would have intimidated almost anyone else, but he followed her orders anyway.

"Kushina-san, Minato-san, thank you so much for your hospitality. It's a pleasure to meet you," Sakura greeted with a polite bow of her head.

"What's with the formality, Sakura-chan? You're making me feel old!" Kushina giggled. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Sakura-chan," Minato smiled. "We hope you enjoy yourself tonight." Sakura was about to thank them again when another blond popped up in front of her.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, right?" he said in a booming voice. "I'm Naruto! Ino's been talking about you all day; it's nice to finally meet you!" He was promptly whacked on the head by his mother, who chided him for his lack of manners in a voice just as loud as his.

Sakura was taking the sudden intrusion surprisingly well. "Nice to meet you, too, Naruto-san. I've heard quite a bit about you too from Sasuke," she replied warmly.

"Aw, drop the -san! And what did that bastard say about his best friend?" he asked with a blinding grin.

Ino pushed him aside. "Probably nothing good," she said, ignoring his protests of how he was way better than Sasuke at everything. "Go ask him, if you're so curious. Sakura's got other people to meet." Ino dragged Sakura deeper into the crowd.

They went through all the co-owners of Akatsuki next. Sakura appeared to like Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, but she was understandably a little less thrilled at meeting Zetsu, Hidan, and Kakuzu. She got along with Sasori and Deidara too, noting that the latter could be Ino's twin brother. Ino sniffed, saying that she was way prettier. Kisame quickly grew a soft spot for Sakura when she said that he looked very unique, and she decided that Itachi was much nicer than his younger brother. His fiancée Koyuki, an actress and descendent of the daimyo, actually smiled at Sakura's timid congratulations.

Ino would have steered clear of the next group had Sakura not already noticed them. She found herself being towed in the direction of her least favorite perrson present.

"Temari-san, Kankuro-san, Gaara-san, I'm Haruno Sakura. Pleasure to meet you," the girl smiled. Kankuro grinned back, Gaara nodded, and Temari was about to return the greeting when Ino exclaimed, "Oh, I completely forgot. Let's get you a drink, Sakura," and headed in the opposite direction of the tall blonde.

"Ino-chan? What's wrong?" Sakura asked as she was whisked towards the bar.

"Her face is what's wrong," Ino growled under her breath.

Sakura laughed. "Oh, don't worry pig; I'm sure Shikamaru-san knows you're prettier. By the way, where is he?"

Ino smiled a little at Sakura's response. "Of course he does. She's too old for him anyways. And he's probably on the roof looking at the clouds."

They reached the long bar, where half the guests had gathered. Karin was shamelessly flirting with Sasuke just to irritate him, Suigetsu and Kiba were chugging beers like there was no tomorrow, Sai was keeping track of who was in the lead, Naruto and Lee were cheering loudly while Juugo quietly watched, Chouji was "sampling" the food he had brought, Naruto's parents were discussing literature with Kakashi, and Asuma and Kurenai were in their own world.

Sakura looked horrified when she saw the participants of the drinking contest. "They're going to destroy their livers!" she exclaimed, and rushed forward to stop them. Ino would have held her back had she not suddenly received a text.

"Who in their right mind would be texting me now," Ino muttered. It was Shikamaru. _Hyuga's here with Hinata and Tenten_. Ino's eyes widened and she cursed. _He's not supposed to be here! Stall him_, she texted back. _Send Naruto out. You have 2 minutes, tops_, Shikamaru replied.

Ino jerked into action. "Naruto! Your girlfriend's outside. Go greet her like a gentleman," she snapped. The other blond didn't even reply—he shot off with Kiba's huge dog chasing him.

"Sakura!" The girl was dragged away from Sai, and just in time too, since he had called her 'Ugly' and was still smiling pleasantly.

"Let me go, pig! I'm going to wipe that smile off that jerk's face!" Sakura screeched.

Ino gave her a firm shake. "Listen to me, forehead. Neji's here."

Sakura froze. "Neji's here?" she repeated.

"Yes. What do you want me to do? I can get Sasuke to take you home right now, or I can tell Neji to leave since he wasn't technically invited."

Sakura shook her head, quickly coming out of shock. "I don't...You worked so hard to put this together for me, Ino-chan. I don't want to ruin it just because I'm too scared to face Neji. And I'm sure some of the people here are his friends, so don't send him away."

Ino's gaze softened in genuine concern. "Are you sure about this, Sakura?"

"Positive, Ino-pig," Sakura nodded. "I'm going to have to see him again sooner or later."

"Alright, then," Ino sighed. _Let him in_, she told Shikamaru.

The music was still playing, but everyone's attention was drawn to the new arrivals. No one moved until a cheerful voice piped, "Hey, I remember you! I don't think we got to meet properly last time, but I'm Tenten!"

All eyes turned to Sakura. "I-I'm Sakura, it's nice to see you again," she said hesitantly. Ino knew that Sakura didn't hold any grudge against the lively brunette, but Neji's presence alone was enough to affect Sakura's mood.

Another voice spoke up. "Haruno-san?" Hinata had moved to the front of the small crowd in front of the door.

Sakura gasped. "Hyuga-san! You're out of the hospital?"

The small girl's gentle laugh put everyone at ease. "Yes, I've been out for nearly a month now. I was just resting in the countryside and visiting family. Thank you for your help and your concern, Haruno-san."

"Seriously, enough with the family names!" Naruto complained. "It's a party, so let's celebrate!" He whooped as he pulled Hinata to the space that had been designated as the dance floor.

As more people started to dance, Ino looked at Sakura, silently asking if she was okay. The small but real smile was enough to convince Ino, and she gave Sakura a tight hug before rushing to Shikamaru so a certain other woman wouldn't have a chance to get to him.

Ino danced and chatted, but she kept an eye on Sakura the whole time. She was sitting next to Sasuke and happily talking with Karin until Suigetsu stole the redhead. Lee soon went over to get Sakura to dance, and Ino smirked at Sasuke's deepening scowl. Her amusement quickly faded when Neji took Sakura's seat, though, and she excused herself from Kiba to get a drink and make sure no one got hurt. Neji and Sasuke were never a good combination, especially when they were left alone.

"She seems to be enjoying herself," Neji noted coolly as he watched Sakura twirl and laugh. Sasuke merely took a sip of vodka and stared straight ahead. "Tell me, Uchiha, how is life as a rebound?"

The other man raised an eyebrow a fraction of a centimeter. "What makes you think that we are anything more than acquaintances? You shouldn't jump to conclusions, Hyuga."

"Perhaps you are correct," Neji agreed. "However, that does not change the fact that she treats you like a rebound."

Sasuke spared Neji half a glance. "That would imply that she'd been in a relationship previously. And unless you were cheating on your fiancée, I don't believe that she was," he answered smoothly.

Neji's voice was clipped with restrained anger. "I would never compromise my family's honor."

"Well then," Sasuke smirked. "You can stop calling me something I'm not." Before Neji had a chance to respond, Sasuke continued, "She was wondering if you were planning on returning her belongings to her."

"Unfortunately, that will not be possible," Neji said as he stood up. "You can tell her that she is no longer in Hiashi-sama's good graces."

"I'm not going to act as your messenger," Sasuke drawled. "You can tell her that yourself."

Ino was finally able to breathe again when Neji left the bar without another word. Apparently, males could be just as nasty with words as females were at times. She quickly downed the rest of her drink and succumbed to dancing herself into oblivion.

* * *

I apologize again that this chapter took so long. It's over 4000 words though, so it's officially the most I've ever written. Poor Neji, I made him so mean! Please don't hate him. Or me, since I wrote him that way. I love Temari, but this is from Ino's POV and I ship shikaino more, so that's how things worked out. Please let me know how you honestly felt about this chapter—whether it was lame, too focused on details, lacked action of any form…I hope the last sentence explains why there isn't more about the party after the first hour or so.

Oh, and as you can tell, lots of people who died in the manga are alive and well here. I replaced "Pein" with both Nagato and Yahiko (whether he has piercings or not is up to you). I'm trying to decide if antagonists like Madara and Orochimaru will show up later, so comments are welcome!


End file.
